Driver accuses Ogun traffic agency’s officials of extortion

A truck driver, Kehinde Okunola, has accused men of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) of extortion.

According to the driver, the incident happened on February 3, 2017, when men of the agency falsely accused him of parking his truck on the highway.

Okunola, who said his vehicle, a white DAF truck with registration number SAN 93 XA, had broken down around Odogbolu axis of Lagos-Ijebu highway, said he was shocked that men of the agency insisted on impounding his vehicle, even when it was parked far from the road.

He explained that apart from the necessary fines paid (over N150,000), he was also made to cough out the sum of N30, 000 before his vehicle was released from the custody of the agency.

He added that it was after he paid the money that a note was issued for its release from police custody at Odogbolu Division, where it was parked.

However, the spokesman of TRACE, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi said Okunola’s allegations were untrue.

He said: ‘’There is no iota of truth in the allegations. Our men at Ikenne zone impounded his truck for violating Ogun State traffic laws and he only paid the necessary fines imposed on traffic offenders of his category, our men did not extort money from him at all.’’